Finding sparkle in an ordinary day, and a bounty of book recommendations!

It's nice to feel spring in the air with lighter mornings and warmer temperatures. I still rugged up for my walk though, and it rained a little on our way back to the car.

Even though I love my walks at home, there is something about getting out and being amongst others, even if there were very few people at the park on a Wednesday afternoon! Just a few retirees and us 😊

 

Paul's 'weekend' is Tuesday/Wednesday so it's lovely to do things when everyone else is at work and school.

 

We have built our financial life around enjoying free things like this. To me it's not being stingy, it's about making the most of every dollar.

And then that money that might have gone on an activity or meal/drink out can instead go towards paying off your mortgage early like we did, clearing your credit card, or starting an investment account.

The index fund we started eleven years ago only needed $50 a month to invest, and over time we’ve upped it to $150 a month.

It doesn't sound like it could add up to much and of course going out to dinner might be more fun, but these investment funds now hold tens of thousands of dollars.

So anyway, it was a lovely day for a walk yesterday, everydoggie enjoyed it, and if you want to build slow wealth, learn to cultivate a cheap – yet rich – life. It can be done! And in these harsh economic times it’s even more important.

To help when I feel like buying something, I think of everything I have at home already. Clothes, books, perfumes, lovely things. I then go home and play around with them, tidy them up, make new outfits, choose a book to read, and spritz on a fragrance.

And I remember my goals too. I delight in being thrifty because I love being debt-free, building a strong financial future, and relishing in the peace that comes when you’re on top of your money.

It is so worth it.

I hope this saves you some money today, even if I’m sharing the link below for my second money book! Haha!

(If my words resonate, I think you’ll like it 😊) It’s called:

“Financially Chic Vol. 2: How to be savvy with money in tough times, cultivate your rich lady lifestyle, and live fabulously for less”

 

 

~~

 

 

💫💫💫 Finding sparkle in an ordinary day 💫💫💫

Usually I feel inspired to write a little post on my social media, but today I don’t. And I think it’s a new way I am exploring to feel: right in the middle (just like ‘the elegant middle’ is for food and drink in chapter 3 of my book ‘Luxurious Weight Loss’).

I’ve been thinking how The Elegant Middle could apply to how I live my daily life, and it’s to be just that. I’m not super-excited and moving fast, burning out. And I’m not lazing around doing nothing.

In the elegant middle way of living, I have my daily checklist with a small handful of tasks on it, that I enjoy deleting as I go (I keep them on my phone’s calendar).

I don’t worry that it might be a bit cloudy today, I just create the sunshine in my mind by saying to myself that today is a great day.

When the dogs run outside barking at birds, I don’t shriek at them, I just open the door and call them back in.

When I do the opposite of these things, life feels blah (and stressful).

But when I carry on my steady forward track, I feel accomplished and satisfied, and the day passes in a pleasant way.

Why not enjoy peaceful and happy life in The Elegant Middle? Also, aren’t the winter apple trees in the photo above gorgeous in their simplicity?

~~

Something I am not so good at is finishing up with a margin between my ‘work day’ and dinner. I know I’ve said it before but I’ll put it out here yet again, that I desire 30-45 minutes to rest and read before Paul gets home from work.

And so it is! Although it didn’t happen yesterday, haha, because I had the Saturday afternoon coffee ladies (my mum, aunties, cousin) around for a movie afternoon.

We watched The Thursday Murder Club and it was fabulous. My mum brought popcorn, ice cream and cake! I even brought out my red and yellow popcorn cups - they really add to the fun. (I have six, which is lucky because there were six of us).

 ~~ 

 

 

I remember loving ‘Save Karyn’ when I read it decades ago (in 2003, I mean how is 2003 decades ago, but it is!!) Happily, I came across this thrifted copy recently and it is still just as funny.

What's also interesting is that the internet was not what it is today, it was still quite new. I remember the thrill of finding all these different places to search, and finding a forum dedicated to the French Chic way of life (it's now long gone).

And the internet is how I found out about Anne Barone's ‘Chic & Slim’ books.

 

 

It really was such a fun time of discovery in those days!

What probably drew me to the ‘Save Karyn’ book was my interest in personal finance, but she is such a hilarious writer. She really has a way with words.

It's about a girl who moves to Manhattan and gets a job producing television. She earns good money and enjoys the NYC shopping. But her spending catches up with her. She moves to Brooklyn to save on rent and pay her credit cards off but then... loses her job and can't get another.

Karyn is $20,000 in debt and has the thought 'If 20,000 people gave me $1 I could pay this debt off. There are millions in Manhattan alone so surely I could get 20,000 of them to give me a buck?' She 'should' come across as unlikeable but she doesn’t amazingly!

She wrote another book after this and it was made into the movie 'What's Your Number' starring Anna Faris and Chris Evans.

If you can find an old copy of ‘Save Karyn’ it's worth a read, or grab the Kindle copy (maybe read the sample first to see if she is as good as I say, or maybe I just have a little 2000s nostalgia!)

Happy weekend to you 😊 I hope you get a chance to relax and read something.

I'll be enjoying 'The Surrogate Mother' by Freida McFadden.

 

 

I know it's not going to end well for someone, it never does! But I still read her books. She has good twists and I don’t even mind being a nervous wreck reading them, haha.

x Fiona

~~

PS. You can view all my books here on Amazon.

 

 

My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission when you purchase through them. Thank you if you choose to use my links!

Living a soft, calm life... and a picture of my bookshelves for fellow booklovers!

How are you living a soft, calm life today? It's a beautiful spring-like late winters day, and I've been ironing a few blouses, pottering around at home fluffing things up. Equal parts chores and play.

Sometimes I find all that is required is to think differently. I can catch myself hurrying in my mind and simply decide to move in a soft, lovely, leisurely manner.

I still get just as much done but it's so much nicer.

Also, if you always feel like you should be doing more like I do (even though you don't know what 'more' looks like), just accepting that you are enough exactly as you are right now is so liberating.

I've been saying this to myself a lot lately, because I often feel a little Charlie Brown grey cloud of doom over my head, following me around.

I don't know why!

So I just say: You're okay. There is nothing to worry about. You're doing okay. Enjoy your life. Be happy.

I often take the angle of talking to my five-year-old self. If I see her unnecessarily bothered, I can calm her. It's the same for my inner chat I find.

So anyway, if you needed to hear this today, know you are not alone. Maybe there are many of us who have this ticker tape going on in their mind, warning us not to get too comfortable lest something goes wrong.

Give yourself the gift of a soft, calm life by the way you think, and also how you live, by simplifying your schedule, tidying and beautifying your environment, and having seasonal sifts through your home.

It's nice to have a new season approaching, spring here, and autumn for my northern hemisphere friends. It gives a freshness to everything.

Tell me what you are doing today in order to live a soft, calm life. For me, I'm sipping a relaxing herbal tea as I write this. I felt like some hydration, and something warm. It's lovely. In my Starbucks Hawaii mug to remind me of our holidays there!

---

I spent a happy afternoon reorganising my bookshelves last weekend. I've been wanting to do it for a while, so when the energy was aligned I took every single book off, dusted the shelves, and put them back one by one. The big shelves here are in our hall.

I’d just read Marie Kondo's comic version of her book, called The Life Changing Manga of Tidying Up (who knew there was such a thing!) and she said NOT to open the books. I only opened a few, haha! She said you should be able to tell by the cover if you want to keep them or not.

I hadn’t intended on doing a declutter but ended up with a few bags that have already departed.

 

These smaller shelves are in my office, for books that are too tall for the hall shelves, plus my collection of Ralph Lauren books (and a photo of my siblings and me).

I always like browsing other peoples bookshelves and a reader said she’d like to see mine so I thought why not!

They hold a mix of personal development/success, French and Italian chic, fashion and style, recipe books, soft romantic lifestyle, and healthy living.

None of my own (Fiona Ferris) books are on these shelves (I keep a few of each title in my office just to have on hand).

I want to do a secondary shift around (but probably won’t 😂) because at the end I was getting a bit tired and just wanted it done.

Is there anything worse than starting a project, making a big mess, not finishing it, and waking up the next morning to face it all over again?

I think not!

That’s why I only like to start something I can see myself wrapping up that same day. It’s too depressing otherwise!

Would recommend Marie Kondo’s manga book if you need a little refresher. You might even find that your library has it. I read it online with Libby and have her original book on Kindle.

See them both here at Amazon:

The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up (comic book - it’s really cute and quick to read!)

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up (original book)

And as always, happy reading! I shudder to imagine a life without books! If you are a book girl I know you’ll understand. I just feel so happy when I see my bookshelves!

Wishing you a lovely start to your week.

Fiona

 

---

PS. You can read or listen to my book 100 Ways to Live a Soft, Calm Life on Amazon here, or go to fionaferris.com for additional purchasing/listening options and to see my other books. Ask your library to order it in too! They can get the paperback and the audiobook.

[My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may receive a small commission if you purchase using them. There is no extra cost to you. I really appreciate it if you choose to use my links - thanks!]

 

Make your own sunshine

Micky and me - why do dogs never look at the camera?
Or is it just my dogs???

 

 

Hello chic friends!

 

The day we took these photos was bright, sunny and warm, as you can see. But today, when I was thinking about this post, it was grey and cold, and soon after I came back from my walk, it started raining lightly. But I was so happy in my mind that it gave me the idea to write about being making your own sunshine, even if it's cloudy outside. It didn't matter to me that the skies were grey and it was chilly, because I felt good in myself and excited about my day's plans.

 

And you might find this extra impressive when you hear that my day's plans were to start my taxes and get them done early. I know! What kind a freak am I, haha. But that was one of the things that was making me feel so good - being ahead of the game.

 

Yes, I love being self-employed as an author, but it does mean all the admin falls on me, not an employer. I have to make sure I put money aside for tax, and get all my paperwork in on time too. Usually I'm pretty good at getting all the information for our accountant together, but last year I wasn't. Last year I left it until only a few months before the deadline, and that few months also included giving my accountant enough time to do her part.

 

It was stressful! So this year I decided I was going to do my taxes as soon as I received the email go-ahead from my accountant, and that came in yesterday. My lofty plan is to have it all wrapped up within a few days and emailed back to her by Easter, which is this weekend!

 

This ambitious plan makes me feel good, and I know I will feel even better once my taxes are in. So 'being ahead' is one way that I make my own sunshine. Nothing feels better than being organised - there are no horrible surprises! I forget sometimes and let things slide, but it always feels better to be on top of things.

 

 

 

Perfection across the bay

 

 

Other ways in which I make my own sunshine?

 

🌞 Thinking of all the goodness around, instead of the scary things in the world.

 

🌞 Watching cheery movies and tv series (we are enjoying Running Point with Kate Hudson on Netflix at the moment).

 

🌞 Reading feelgood books (I just finished We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes and it was so good!)

 

🌞 Getting dressed for the day, putting on a little bit of makeup, and freshly washed and blow-dried hair is the best pick-me-up ever! Plus perfume of course :)

 

🌞 Being a little bit silly, playing with the doggies, and just goofing around in general - it's a real tonic! Gets me out of my head and into my body, which feels so much better than the other way around.

 

 

Please tell me, what do you like to do to lighten up when you feel a bit heavy and stressed? And if you need to borrow some of my ideas, please go right ahead :)

 

Paul and Micky :)

~~

 

 

Beautiful autumn sunrise at our place 🧡💜💗💛

 

Who is ready for a new season (whether it's spring or autumn for you)? It's fun to think about 'new' outfit combinations (shop my closet) and creating a capsule collection.

Also for what goals I might want to focus on in the next three months. I always think a nature season is the perfect length of time to make changes or bring new things in.

~~

 

 

 

Out at the supermarket I saw the loveliest flowers, so happy and colourful!

 

 

I read in a magazine article this weekend that the lady interviewed cited 'wearing colour' as one way that she got dopamine hits for herself and I thought that was so true.

 

 

Wearing happy colours makes me feel good too. And viewing gorgeous flowers does the same.

 

 Enjoy the display! Who can't love bright yellow, hot pink and orange together 💛💖🧡

 

 

~~

 

 

Sweet Micky is going to be 14 in a few months, and he really is such a good advertisement for 'clean living' because he doesn't look a day over 10 😊

He loves going for walks, especially at the beach or in the city, and would walk for miles if you did. He is always reluctant to get back into the car after an outing because it means the walk is over!

He is my brother's dog and came to live with us 2.5 years ago when he moved overseas. Micky has fitted in so well with Daphne and Chloe and is totally now their big brother. And he has such a friendly, relaxed nature; you can see it in his eyes.

He is half Jack Russell Terrier, half Shih Tzu. My brother reckons that makes him a Jack Sh!t 🤣

He really is an ageless boy, so full of happiness and zing.

A funny thing: when he was an only dog he wasn't that food focused. At his place there would always be a bowl of dog biscuits next to his water bowl to graze from.

Now that he lives with two other dogs he has turned into a dog who wants food all the time, and we daren't leave a bowl of biscuits out. Competition! And he is always keen for his breakfast, lunchtime biscuit, and dinner! Not to mention stray pieces of carrot, apple, and broccoli stalk. He's a healthy boy 😍

Are all dogs food-mad? Let me know about yours 😊

Have a happy week!
xx Fiona

 

PS. If you would like an Amazon alternative, all my eBooks and audiobooks are available in my eStore. You can view everything here! 

 

My most recent book!

Handling down times

☕ ☕ ☕ Coffee out and about
(actually I had peppermint tea but it doesn't have the same ring to it 😊)

 
Hello chic friends!

 

I haven't had a lot of mental bandwidth for much lately. It's just how I get at times and I try not to feel bad about it.

I think by now I've gotten to know myself, and it's not that there is anything wrong, I just feel like pulling back. It's like this internal handbrake being on and everything takes 100x times more effort to do.

At times like this I want to read books, be at home, write a little, and be offline. I know I'm so lucky to be able to do so. When I worked full-time in an office I’d just keep life really simple too.

If you can relate, please say. I admire people who are 'linear' and can just do whatever they need to get done. I think it might be part of the creative mind that works differently for those of us who aren't like that.

I've seen a funny picture and it shows A to B and a straight line from... A to B. That is one type of person. And then there is A to B with a giant squiggly unravelly ball of wool leading from A to B. That is so me sometimes!

When I get to be the straight-line A to B person everything is sooooo easy. That’s when I write book after book and post regularly on social media. But at the moment I'm the squiggly ball of wool and have a dozen books started that I’m keen on none of 🤣

Amazingly enough my work looks way better to me when I’m in a more helpful state of mind. When I’m the unravelly ball of wool all my writing looks terrible 🤣

But I am writing each day and working on a book that feels good, so hooray for that.

And I’m up to recording my 21st audiobook, almost there! I think there are about 25 or 26 in total. At least those I can narrate without overthinking things. I just turn up and do some recording. (Find them at my Linktree)

I hope you’re doing good, and if you’re not, I’m right there with you 😊 Let’s all be kind to our squiggly balls of wool that we call our heads, if we’re not feeling it right now.

~~

 

 

🍂🍂🍂
Autumn colours and bright blue skies

This has to be my favourite season and I'm really enjoying my outdoor walks each morning before breakfast. I know there are many other fans of autumn too.

For us in the southern hemisphere, it's perfectly normal to have March/April be the start of autumn.

It's completely foreign for us to have it be the start of the festive Christmas season!

Although I actually do enjoy getting into 'fall vibes' later in the year too, joining in on all the northern hemisphere fun 😊

Whether you are in spring or autumn, I hope it's treating you well 🧡💛

~~

 

 I bought these cute popcorn cups from the dollar store for a movie afternoon with friends at home. How cute are they? Afterwards I handwash them and put them away until next time 😊

 

 

I love little details like this that make life fun!

 

 

 

Wishing you a fab week :)

 

Love Fiona

Our 17th Wedding Anniversary

 

Hello chic friends :)

Last Thursday was our 17th wedding anniversary, and I thought it would be fun to share some photos of Paul and I in 2008!

 

When we met almost 22 years ago, I asked the Universe for someone who was ‘like me, but the guy version’. I wanted a calm, steady, happy, easy-going relationship, and the Universe delivered. Right down to us having the same birthday! How’s that for ‘the same’. We met at the pub on a night out, an age-old classic way of meeting someone 😊

 

 

Our wedding was tiny, less than 40 people including us. We had it at an Italian restaurant in their private function venue below ground, and it was dreamy. Candelabras dripping with wax, a giant tiramisu instead of a wedding cake, red velvet drapes, and low lighting.

 

We used to go back to that restaurant – Toto in Auckland city, so lush – for our anniversary each year but it closed down at some stage, and now we don’t even live in Auckland anymore.

 

We both always forget the actual date of our anniversary because it’s such a funny number to remember: 6 March 2008. Is it 06 03 08 or 08 03 06? We always get there though 😊 And I even thought that we were married on a Friday but everyone (my mum and Paul) insisted it was a Thursday. I looked it up and it was a Thursday.

I’m not one to be stuck on remembering dates or days though (thank goodness), just that I’m happy and content. I get to make my own fun and if others want to join in that’s great. Over the years I’ve cultivated the ability to not make feeling good reliant on others.

After all, when you please yourself it seems that others want to please you too. Something that recovering people-pleasers like myself would do well to remember!

~~

 

The grapevines on our road 🍇

 
The past few weeks we've had harvesting machines picking the white wine grapes. It's fun to see the changing seasons of the vineyard as I go for my daily walks, and then the big bins filled with light green or dark red grapes at harvest time.

My husband Paul works for a winery now as a cellar door host, and he sees firsthand the trucks full of grapes pulling up and emptying them into the first tank where they are squeezed gently.

The whole process gives me so much appreciation for winemakers. With fruit such as apples, you 'only' have to grow the fruit.

But if you have a vineyard, growing the fruit is only half the job, then you have to make the wine, then you have to market it amongst the many thousands of wine labels on the store shelves.

Here's cheers to to all the hard working people behind the scenes when we sit down with a glass of wine on a Saturday night! 🍷

Wishing you a fab week :)

xx Fiona

My favourite success tips

 

Hello chic friends!

The beginning of the year is such an inspiring time, so I thought a fun idea would be to share my favourite success tips on living a good life. To me, success isn’t just money, it’s happiness, feeling good in my mind, being fit and healthy, and having a good balance of fun and productivity.

 

💫 My favourite success tips 💫

💌 Know how to inspire yourself. I’ve been doing lots of delicious journalling each morning with my cup of tea: goals, visualisations, how ‘she’ would be’, idea, things that are ringing my bell right now, so much goodness 😊 I also read glossy picture books, magazines, novels, and listen to audiobooks, writing down quotes when they speak to me.

💌 Please yourself. Many of us are so used to considering others and what they might want that we never think to ask ourselves ‘What do I want?’ Even when by myself! So my practice now is to think of what would be most ideal in that moment, and go and do it. Sometimes it’s a comfort thing, sometimes a doing thing. And if I really don’t feel like doing something, I don’t (maybe I’ll skip a walk that day because I feel like cleaning and organising my environment instead).

💌 Love your life. Instead of being envious of other, glossier people either online or in real life, I choose to love the life that I have right in front of me. I can make it feel sparklier all with the way I am being. I appreciate my home, the way I have set up my daily life, and how I spend my time. It’s like 3D gratitude. I’m not just writing down in my journal all that I’m grateful for, I’m living it every day.

These are just three of many, but they are the three that came to mind today 😊 Please tell me your favourite success tips if you have any, and if you don’t, what might one be that you’d like to cultivate for yourself?

 

~~

 

I just started book three in the Housemaid series, yay! It goes well with a glass of Prosecco and fresh raspberries 😍

 

I don't think stylish people put fruit in their bubbly but I don't care. I love the festive look of it, and even better to eat at the end. Delicious!

Sweet Daphne dog is always near me.

My cousin's little boy (aged 5) loves dogs, and always gives our dogs lots of hugs when he visits. He calls Daphne 'Daphanee' with an extra syllable. Soooo adorable!

(Freida's Housemaid books are on Amazon here. If you love a good and creepy psychological thriller I would recommend!)

Wishing you a wonderful rest of your weekend 😊

xx Fiona

PS. Check out my book ‘100 Ways to be a Chic Success and Create Your Dream Life’, available on Kindle, in paperback, and as an audiobook on Amazon here or in my eStore (eBooks and eAudiobooks).

Creating free fun, growing your own food, and spring sunshine

 

Hello chic friends!

 

Paul and I took advantage of his new job's roster earlier this week (he works weekdays and weekends, in various mixes) to have a picnic on the beach on a sunny Tuesday.

We planned to eat lunch at home and go for a walk along the beach, but then thought 'Why not take our lunch with us?' We had a chicken and avocado salad each, and fruit and yoghurt for afters, and a can of Coke each for a fun touch. All brought from home! It was yummier, healthier, and far less expensive than buying lunch out.

And we still had a nice time. Even though most people are at work on a Tuesday, there were people around - holidaymakers, retirees walking, and teens sunning themselves on the beach, probably exam time with days off.

 

I love making the most of where we live and creating free outings like this. I sort of count our lunch as free even though we bought the groceries :) Plus, some of the salad ingredients were free since they were grown on our property - the cos lettuce, parsley, and avocado components!

I just love living a simple, low-cost lifestyle. To me it’s as enjoyable as spending lots, and you don't need to kill yourself in a job you hate to pay for it all.

This is especially pertinent to us since Paul was made redundant from his job earlier in the year. He has now found a new job and he absolutely loves it, working at the cellar door for one of our local wineries.

He is in his element, and meets the nicest people too - a lot of overseas tourists who are interesting to chat with and hear about where they are from. Even though he is the one pouring the wine, not drinking it, he still has a blast.

Do you live near an area of natural beauty that you can take a picnic too? I didn't take photos of our picnic because it wasn't one of those staged Instagram-worthy affairs, but we did dine with cloth napkins from our plastic lunch boxes! 

 

~~

 

Just look at these beautiful roses at my mum's when I visited during the week. Her friend Ann brought them from her garden. I always love pinks/blush/pale yellow/peach shades together.
 

 

 

I took the three doggies with me which I haven't done for a while since mum adopted a new rescue cat Minnie who is about a year old.

Turns out Minnie can hold her own. She stalked the dogs and at one stage was chasing one of them around the garden. So funny 😂 I had to rescue Chloe dog from the cat!

Minnie cat was VERY happy to see me drive off with my three idiots. She much prefers a quiet, dog-free home. She even followed us out to the car to make sure we all left: 'Don't let the door hit you on the way out!' 🤣

~~

On a bright, sunny day I picked spinach (for smoothies) and cos lettuce for salads. I also spent some time tidying up and watering our vegetable garden.

 

 

It’s a petite space but provides us with yummy goodness 🥬🥒🫑

In addition to spinach and lettuce, there are cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and little orange bell peppers already growing but not ready yet, and yesterday I added in dwarf beans for the first time. They are long round green beans which I love. The plant grows in a small bush instead of climbing so I’m told. I can’t imagine how a tiny plant grows long beans but I will find out soon enough with any luck!

 

I am not a huge gardener, even though it is very satisfying. My ideal garden looks good but is easy-care 😁

But I do love picking fresh vegetables for our lunchtime salads. Cos lettuce is my favourite because the bugs don’t seem to eat it the same as mesclun, which I only seemed to grow for the birds and white butterflies - there was never any left for me!

I hope you’ve had a lovely week. Today it has dawned a cool, calm Sunday here and we had rain overnight. I have a relaxing day of writing, coffee, and pottering planned. Just bliss!

 

xx Fiona

 

 

PS. Check out my newest book if you haven't already!

 

 

 

Financially Chic Vol. 2 is all about living a fabulous life on little cash. Find out how to create a 'rich lady lifestyle' for yourself. Switch up your mindset to live 'beyond your means'!

 

🌺 Read it on Kindle and in paperback here on Amazon, and find the audiobook wherever you listen to your audiobooks. You can ask your local public library to order in the paperback or eAudiobook too!

🌺 eBooks and eAudiobooks are in available in my eStore here.

🌺 Listen to the audiobook free on Spotify if you have Spotify Premium.

(My Amazon links are affiliate, but it doesn't change the price for you. Thank you if you choose to use my Amazon link!)

A new eatery, baking, and living with the seasons

 

 

Hello chic friends!

 

We found a great new bar/eatery in Napier, the town I live near, and have been twice so far since it was so good.

 

 

Gorgeous fitout, very glam. Nice staff, yummy food and who can resist a glass of local bubbles. The glasses are actually really nice too.

 

 

I'm happy that businesses are investing in Hawke's Bay and doing well also.

 

 

Cheers to a warm, sunny day too!

Have you been out anywhere good lately?

 

 

~~

 

My friend Tanya came around for lunch last week, so as usual I took the opportunity to bake something. I made Tan Square, from this recipe here.

 

Yum!

 

 

As I was leaving a review of my recipe on their site, I discovered I had used double the amount of condensed milk. And it turned out perfectly! I only realised this when other reviews said the caramel wasn’t quite plentiful enough and they would use the whole can of condensed milk next time.

What a lucky mistake!

I would make it the same way next time, but would probably cut the sugar in the base from 1/2C to ¼C. I usually halve the sugar in any baking recipe but since this only used ½C I didn’t. Next time I will! I used gluten free flour too, like I always do.

I made it the day before, which worked out well, because it was very soft and pudding-y that night (yes we had to taste test it :), but leaving it overnight in the fridge allowed me slice it into lovely neat pieces.

My husband Paul said ‘Do not make that again, it’s TOO nice’ and I agree! It’s not something I’d make every week, but it was a nice treat which I will make for entertaining occasions.

Oh, and I also used dark chocolate sharded with a sharp knife instead of chocolate chips. I like to use what I have, and I think proper chocolate is nicer anyway (Whittaker’s all the way! If you have tasted it, you will know.)

Plus, I used honey instead of golden syrup. Also using what I have. I wonder if there was anything left of the original recipe now that I think about it!

 

~~

 

🍇🍇🍇 Winter vines in our street 🍇🍇🍇

 

It's so cool to see the changes of season as we drive or walk past these grapevines. Here they are all pruned back and have been hunkering down, bare, over the winter.

And just in the past week or two there are little green shoots popping out (it's called 'bud burst'). Of course in the next month or two over spring there will be an explosion of green.

There is something relaxing and magical about the changing of the seasons. We can forget that human beings are part of nature too - I do. Springtime really does feel like a time of 'waking up'.

In the northern hemisphere you will be looking forward to slowing down and snuggling into autumn and winter :)

I love thinking about the changing seasons. Do you? What fun things do you have planned for your spring or autumn?

Mine are to write another book after the one I've just finished (which will be out soon!), keep my office admin in check (it feels SO nice to have everything completed and filed or binned), and enjoy fresh fruits of the season.

 

Let me know yours, and if you've found anywhere new to visit lately.

 

xx Fiona

 

 

PS. If you need something inspiring to read over the weekend, my latest book '100 Ways to Live a Soft, Calm Life' is still available on Kindle Unlimited, for only for another week or so. You can see it here on Kindle, in paperback, and on Audible.

 

(My Amazon links are affiliate but the price doesn’t change for you, thank you if you choose to use my links!)choose to use my links!)